About Newf Friends

Newf Friends Newfoundland Dog Rescue is a volunteer run, foster home based rescue group for Newfoundland Dogs in need in Ontario, Canada.
We place Newfs into carefully screened homes in Ontario and surrounding provinces and states.
Established in 2008.

Follow us on Facebook for daily updates
www.facebook.com/NewfFriends/
Also find us on
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/newffriends/
Twitter @NewfFriends

Visit our Frequently Asked Questions page for general information about our program and our adoption policies and procedures.



Friday, March 25, 2016

Spring Fundraiser Wrap-Up


Last weekend's Spring Fundraiser was a huge success bringing in over $2000 to help Newfs in need.

A HUGE THANK YOU to all of the volunteers who worked so hard to put this fabulous event together, to the generous donors who gave auction items and baked goods for the sale, and of course to our supporters who came out and took part in the day.

A special thanks goes to Dunbartion-Fairport United Church for graciously hosting us and of course to Sandy and Jeff who organize this popular annual fundraiser.

Thanks so much!


Here are a few photos from the day, thanks to Joseph Cuan Photography for the pictures!














Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Brigitte

Brigitte
2016-008

I was adopted!

Quick Adoption Overview
Available for adoption once spayed
3 years old
Good with other dogs
Good with cats
Snores like a chainsaw
Fostered in Mississauga
Fenced yard required




All About Brigitte

Adorable gal Brigitte is a total love bug!  A silly girl with a twinkle in her eye, she is goofy and totally adorable.


An unclaimed stray, life in the shelter was stressful for Brigitte so she came to us to find a loving foster home where she can be given loads of TLC and eventually find her perfect forever home.

Her coat was so heavily matted that we were unable to brush it out and unfortunately it had to be shaved off.  She is feeling loads better and able to move around easily now that all of the painful mats are gone.


Brigitte gets along well with other dogs and is playful and friendly.  She would be happy to find a home where she has another 4 footed pal to romp and play with.

Here she is playing with her foster brother Kodi.....how cute!


Brigitte loves to play!

She has been tested with cats and appears to be fine, so could join a family with a dog savvy feline friends.




She knows some basic commands, in French, and is working on her manners. She seems to prefer the quiet of country life to the noises of city living and further assessments are pending.




  

Bri is a little bit of a piggie and loves to play in the mud, roll in the water and generally make a royal mess of herself.  She is definitely not a match for the house proud!


We estimate that she is 2-3 years old.  She has been vaccinated and will be spayed shortly.  Once spayed she will be available for adoption.

She is being fostered in Mississauga, ON and her approved adopters will be required to pick her up in person.

An adoption donation of $500 applies.




Monday, March 21, 2016

Luna



Luna
2016-007

Quick Adoption Overview

 Update June 25:  I was adopted!

 Good with other dogs - looking for a home where she will have another dog to play with
Good with cats
Good with kids
Fenced yard required
Location in Toronto



 All about Luna

Lovely Luna is a sweet and affectionate girl who is looking for a home with lots of love.  

Luna is 4 years old (born April 26, 2012).   She is quite petite for a Newf, and is a non-standard colour (see our article on identifying back yard breeders). 


Luna arrived is rough shape.  She was underweight, had fleas, parasites, an ear infection, inflamed skin from allergies, and we discovered in surgery that she had a large mass on her bladder/uterus.  Thankfully, her pathology report shows that the mass was non-cancerous.  Phew!  

 Under the care of her vet and her dedicated foster family, Luna has made excellent progress. She is feeling great, and is now ready to find the perfect family!   Woohoo!

 She does have some allergies, which have caused itchy skin, on and off.  We are in the process of doing an allergy test to determine whether she has food allergies.  Her allergies may require lifelong management.  More info will be posted as we learn more.

 (Luna's diagnostics, surgery and treatment cost thousands of dollars.  Donations to help cover the cost of Luna's care are appreciated.  Visit our donation page to learn more about making a donation to our program -- a tax receipt will be issued for your generous support.)




Luna is a quiet, good natured girl who will be a great companion for a loving family. She can be shy with the sights and sounds of the city, and will benefit from on going socialization in the hands of a loving family.

Her leash manners are a work in progress and will need further training in her new home.

She is eager to please and is catching on to obedience commands and house manners very quickly.  Good girl Luna! 



Luna gets along great with other dogs and is happiest when she has other dogs around her for company as she does have a bit of separation anxiety.  We are looking for a home where she will have another canine pal to romp and play with.  She loves to play!

Luna is also good with cats so could join a family where there is a dog savvy cat. 




Luna is gentle around children and could join a family with respectful children over the age of 5, or a home where children visit.  What a great catch she is!




Luna is being fostered in the Toronto area.  Her approved adopters will be required to pick her up in person. An adoption donation of $500 will apply.
Fenced yard required.




Friday, March 11, 2016

Shelby


Shelby
2016-006

June 16, 2016:  I was adopted!
Quick Adoption Overview
Available for adoption
Good with well mannered dogs
OK with a dog savvy cat and attentive owner
Adult only home
Fenced yard required
Fostered in the Toronto area

All about Shelby

Shelby is a sweet 4 year old girl who is super friendly and social and looking for a fabulous family to call her very own.

Shelby knows basic commands, walks well on leash, is housebroken and has nice house manners.  She is a quiet, well mannered girl who loves to please and is doing a great job at her obedience classes. Good girl Shelby!  She would be a great fit for a family looking for a mellow, quiet companion.


Born January 27, 2012 Shelby just turned 4 years old.  She has been spayed, and brought up to date on her vaccines.  Blood tests showed low-normal thyroid function, so she is now on a low dose of thyroid meds and doing well.  These cost approximately $20/month.

Shelby on intake -- she sure needed to be groomed!
Her surrendering family reported that she had shown intermittent lameness and opted to surrender her for diagnostics and treatment.  We have completed x-rays and testing.  Shelby has mild dysplasia in her left hip and some degenerative joint disease in both knees.  With pain medication, weight loss, and specific exercises geared towards building her back end muscles she is thriving!  Feeling loads better, Shelby is happy as can be.    She is not limited mobility wise at this time and gets around well.  She should continue taking pain medication (cost, under $100/month) to ensure that she is comfortable and able to get out and exercise freely.


She is a small girl, with a goal weight of 95 lbs.  This smaller size will be in her favour to help her maintain good mobility throughout her life.  She's be a great companion for someone who likes to go swimming with their dog, or for nice walks in the woods.


Shelby gets along with other well mannered dogs.  She's a playful and friendly girl!  Prior to coming to us, she had not had many opportunities to meet and socialize with other dogs in her lifetime.  Thanks to her great foster family she has learned all about proper doggie communication and has really come out of her shell.  She has become great pals with her foster brother and several newfs at various foster homes!  She'd be a good match for a family with another well mannered dog, or she would be equally happy as the only dog.

Shelby is suited to an adult only home with no children under 10 years of age.

She is being fostered in the Toronto area.  Her approved adopters will be required to pick her up in person.

Since Shelby takes thyroid and pain medication a reduced adoption donation of $350 applies to offset this.

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Puppy Socialization -- the Breeder's Role

Socialization, an important part of choosing a breeder and raising a puppy.

Mom and pups at
Nautica Newfs in AB

Last month we wrote a blog about the serious temperament issues we are seeing more and more in Newfs, and the need to select breeders who breed for the correct temperament. If you missed the article you can read it here. 

Socialization is another key piece of the puzzle when it comes to choosing your breeder and raising your puppy.

Puppy Socialization Starts with the Breeder

Puppies learn from their environments and experiences. It is a breeder’s responsibility to ensure that puppies are exposed to as many different sights, sounds, textures, smells, animals, and people as possible in the first 10-12 weeks of their lives. Exposure should always be carefully controlled to ensure that the experiences are positive and are not placing the puppies at risk.

The best and easiest way for puppies to be exposed to normal sounds of home life is for them to be whelped and raised in a home environment. Ideally, their whelping box and puppy “room” will be in a central location of the home so that the puppies get to experience regular home life while in a safe environment. They get used to the sounds of vacuum cleaners, other animals, people talking, tvs, radios, cooking and smells. They also get exposed to the silence that regularly occurs in a home at night while the family and other pets are sleeping. Puppies should remain inside the breeder’s home until they are picked up by their families. Puppies who are whelped outdoors or moved outdoors before going home with their new families will not receive the necessary socialization. Breeders who do not keep the puppies in their homes should be avoided.

An indoor whelping/puppy play area at Jalynn Kennels in Ontario

Above and below are photos of puppy whelping areas, and early-days play areas from Arcadia Newfoundlands, Cape Nauti Newfoundlands, Heirloom Newfoundlands, Jalynn Kennels, Newf Friends Rescue, Recurve Kennels, Sea Fever Newfoundlands, Sea Worthy Newfoundlands, and Voyager Newfoundlands.  Click the images to see in larger size.

Once the puppies are old enough they should be allowed supervised time out of their puppy room to explore the house. The breeder’s home should be a safe environment with no obvious dangers. If you wouldn’t let your toddler crawl around their home then you definitely should think twice about buying a puppy from them. Objects of all shapes, sizes and sounds should be included in the puppy room and around the house to allow for the pups to learn. Some breeders also create their own “adventure boxes” which includes multiple items that offer different sounds, shapes, textures, and colours to provide a great tactile experience. 
Shown in this video are puppies at Even Keel Newfoundlands in Colorado playing in their adventure box.



Pups explore a vacuum at Even Keel
Newfoundlands in Colorado

Spending time outdoors is also very important so that the puppies learn about the sights, sounds, and smells that exist outside. They should be encouraged to go to the bathroom, play, run around and explore safe areas of the yard. If the weather is nice outside then a baby pool with water in it can be used to expose the puppies to playing in the water.  Puppies should always be supervised while outside and should never be left alone for long periods. Puppies should also not be left to sleep outside overnight, regardless of their age or time of year.

It's never too early to start water training at
Even Keel Newfoundlands in Colorado

Pups going for their first canoe ride at
Heartsease Newfoundlands in BC

Early water training at Jalynn Kennels in Ontario


This great article talks about the different types of socialization that help puppies grow into well-rounded adults https://www.puppyculture.com/the-enrichment-effect.html
Puppy playtime in the yard at Ashmoor Newfoundlands in Ontario

Outside playtime with mom at Nautica Newfoundlands in Alberta

Other animals in the home should also get to spend time with the puppies. Exposure to other dogs, cats, rabbits, or birds goes a long way to teaching the puppy how to act appropriately and be ok around animals of different sizes and types. If the breeder does not have multiple types of animals that is ok, their families can do this socialization if they need to once the puppy is home with them.

The resident cat patiently allows
pups to visit at Kodiak Acres in CT

This adorable video shows newf pups meeting the resident cat at Vent du Nord Newfoundlands in Saskatchewan.  Looks like the cat is the one in charge here!


Breeders will also have visitors over to interact with the puppies. There is no set rule as to what age visitors are allowed, each breeder has their own preference. The more people the puppies meet the more comfortable they will be with strangers. Children should also be included in the mix of visitors to help the puppies learn that people come in all shapes and sizes.
Socialization with children at Ashmoor Newfoundlands in Ontario

Outdoor play and socialization at Nautica Newfoundlands in Alberta

Puppies "Skyping" as part of their socialization experience at Heartsease Newfoundlands in BC

Early socialization is a critical step towards ensuring that your puppy has the best start in life. If the breeder you are considering does not feel that socialization through living in a home environment is important then we highly recommend selecting a different breeder. Not all breeders are alike and it is important that you ask them about where their puppies are housed and what steps the breeder takes to ensure they are well socialized before going to your home.
Wagon of pups at
Sea Worthy Newfoundlands in CT


Stay tuned for the next blog Puppy Socialization Continues – An Owner’s Responsibility

Puppy play time, exploring new textures and experiences at Even Keel Newfoundlands in Colorado.
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